Caledonian politician

goes on TV— for the first time

From Gerald Rousseau

in Noumea.

The Caledonian Deputy to

tie French National Assembly

i Paris, recently made his first

devision interview in over three ears of television in Noumea.

Melanesian Deputy Mr. Rock idjot, who has represented New aledonia in Paris for over five years, as invited to speak on Noumea ate-controlled television in February, :companied by three visiting parlia entarians from France.

On previous occasions, when aledonian politicians have requested ithority to speak on television, dur g election time, they have been ra ised on the grounds that they are )t members of national parties con futed in metropolitan France, On is basis, Caledonians have only eviously heard metropolitan parlia entarians on radio or TV.

To mark this turn in events, Mr. djot said he was pleased to wel ►me his Paris parliamentary col agues in New Caledonia, but ex essed his concern “for, I must say, the past there have been other issions in the territory and the re- Its have not been favourable to e Caledonians ... I certainly hope at, in spite of everything, this ission will result in certain practices mg modified in accordance with iledonian aspirations.’

This latest 10-man mission arrived a Tahiti and spent a week in New dedonia, investigating local law olitical and judicial) and economic velopments.

The group held a one-hour inter ;w with a delegation from the Terri rial Assembly and listened politely problems encountered with the :al Administration.

In regard to the taxing rights of e Territorial Assembly, all Cale mian parties expressed their unanim is opposition to the Billotte laws mcerning mining taxes) introduced December, 1968, On the question of Caledonian 'litical statutes, the majority party, nion Caledonienne, repeated its de and for internal self-government thin the French Republic. The aullist opposition, while opposed to -centralised local government,

claimed that some amendments to existing statutes are necessary.

Speaking on television of the nickel projects proposed for New Caledonia, Paris mission leader, Mr. Hubert Dupont-Fauville, stated he would like to come back in five years’ time and see developments underway. In the meantime, he stressed that major problems lay in the provision of housing, suitable labour and adequate port facilities.

Legal advisor, Mr. Rene Chazelle, expressed his surprise that many laws voted in metropolitan France had not been extended to New Caledonia.

He said: “Many of my colleagues, I am sure, will be amazed that the decision has not been taken to ex tend them here.”

He referred specifically to legal reforms relating to “marriage, adop tion, guardianship and inheritance.”

After a two-day rest at the Isle of Pines resort, the French parlia mentary mission took off for Cam bodia, then back to wintry Paris.